18 March 2025 - Daily Current Affairs Updates

Balochistan; GS-1 (Geography) ▪️Why in the News:

The Jaffar Express attack by the Balochistan Liberation Army left dozens dead and triggered a 30-hour military operation.

> Location and Borders:

• Balochistan is Pakistan's largest and least densely populated province, situated in the southwestern part of the country.

o It shares borders with Iran to the west, Afghanistan to the northwest, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab to the northeast, Sindh to the southeast, and is bounded by the Arabian Sea to the south.

- Capital: Quetta

- Historical Background and Ethnic Composition:

• Balochistan has a rich historical legacy, with human settlement tracing back to the Stone and Bronze Ages.

• The Mehrgarh civilization (circa 7000 BCE) flourished in the region, making it one of the earliest centers of human development.

The area was once part of Alexander the Great's empire, although the Baloch people migrated to the region around the 14th century CE.

Tentative List of UNESCO World Heritage Sites; GS-1 (Art and Culture) ▪️Why in the news:

Six sites, including Mudumal Megalithic Menhirs in Telangana and palace-fortresses of the Bundelas in Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, have been added to India's tentative list by the UNESCO's World Heritage Centre.

• UNESCO Tentative List:

• The UNESCO Tentative List serves as an official record of sites that a country plans to propose for inclusion in the World Heritage List.

• It acts as an initial step in the nomination process, enabling State Parties to identify and prepare potential heritage sites for future consideration.

• A site must first be placed on the Tentative List before it can be officially nominated for UNESCO World Heritage status.

• Newly Added Sites on the Tentative List:

- Kanger Valley National Park (Chhattisgarh)

• Located in the Bastar region of Chhattisgarh.

• Renowned for its dense forests, rich biodiversity, and striking limestone caves such as Kotumsar and Kailash caves.

< Mudumal Megalithic Menhirs (Telangana)

• A prehistoric site featuring megalithic structures, primarily menhirs (large upright stones).

• These structures are believed to have been used for ritualistic or astronomical purposes.

> Ashokan Edict Sites along the Mauryan Routes (Multiple States) - Serial Nomination

• Includes various locations where Emperor Ashoka's edicts were inscribed on rock surfaces and pillars.

• The edicts convey Ashoka's promotion of Dhamma (Buddhist principles) and reflect Mauryan governance and Buddhist teachings.

• Chausath Yogini Temples (Multiple States) - Serial Nomination

• These temples are circular in shape and house 64 Yoginis (female deities).

• Typically located on hilltops, they are significant in Tantric traditions, Shakti worship, and feature intricate stone carvings.

> Gupta Temples in North India (Multiple States) - Serial Nomination

Dating back to the Gupta Empire (4th-6th century CE), these temples represent early

Hindu temple architecture.

• Noted for their shikhara (towers), intricate carvings,carvings, ectural precision.

Supersolids; GS-3(Snt) ▪️Why in the news:

Scientists have turned light into a "supersolid" for the first time, marking a groundbreaking achievement in physics.

> Supersolid: A Unique State of Matter:

• Supersolids represent a peculiar phase of mattergoverned by quantum mechanics, where particles form a structured crystalline lattice yet flow without viscosity, similar to a liquid.

• Unlike conventional solids, which remain static, supersolids exhibit fluid-like motion while preserving their organized atomic arrangement.

• The change in direction and density within a supersolid is influenced by interactions between particles, allowing dynamic behavior while maintaining structural integrity.

> Why Do Supersolids Require Extremely Low Temperatures?

• The formation of supersolids demands temperatures close to absolute zero (approximately -273.15°C or -459.67°F).

• To achieve this state, most particles must occupy the lowest possible energy level.

> Significance of the Discovery:

Supersolids have traditionally been observed in Bose-Einstein condensates (BECs) formed by ultracold atoms near absolute zero.

• A recent breakthrough extends their study by coupling light and matter, offering new insights into quantum states under extreme conditions.

Melioidosis; GS-3 (Snt) ▪️Why in the news:

A study has revealed that melioidosis disease in Odisha has clear seasonality, with

infections peaking during and after the monsoon season.

• Melioidosis: A Bacterial Infectious Disease

Melioidosis is a bacterial infection caused by Burkholderia pseudomallei.

• The bacterium thrives in surface water bodies such as streams, rivers, and lakes, as well as in soil, primarily in tropical and subtropical regions.

• The disease is endemic to regions such as Southeast Asia, northern Australia, the Indian subcontinent, southern China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan.

• It is also referred to as Whitmore's disease.

• The infection has a high case fatality rate (CFR), which varies between 16% and 50% in regions where it is commonly found

• Modes of Transmission:

• Both humans and animals can contract melioidosis, but the disease does not spread from animals to humans.

The infection occurs through direct exposure to contaminated soil, air, or water containing the bacterium.

• The risk of infection increases following hurricanes, heavy rainfall, or extreme weather events, as these conditions bring the bacteria to the soil surface.

> Symptoms of Melioidosis:

• The infection can manifest in various forms, including localized abscesses, pneumonia, meningoencephalitis, sepsis, and chronic suppurative infections.

Symptoms vary depending on the site of infection but may include:

• Fever, headache, and localized pain or swelling

• Ulceration at the infection site

. Chest pain, cough, and difficulty breathing.